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Juan Pablo Montoya has shared a conversation he had with fellow F1 pundit Ralf Schumacher regarding a potential Mercedes move for Max Verstappen, with both Grand Prix winners in agreement over the chances of a switch happening.
Mercedes’ pursuit of Max Verstappen has been a hot topic in the F1 rumour mill since the Dutchman’s unhappiness at Red Bull emerged in the midst of the 2025 season.
Is Toto Wolff putting unnecessary pressure on his drivers with quotes like this? 😬
Links between the two parties have since cooled off, following Kimi Antonelli’s coming-of-age drives to kick off the 2026 F1 campaign. The young Italian now holds a relatively commanding lead in the F1 standings, with a maiden world title now on the horizon.
However, Toto Wolff has been enamoured with Verstappen since before the four-time world champion had even set foot in an F1 car, with it previously being revealed that he has tried to sign him on multiple occasions in the past.
Juan Pablo Montoya explains why he agrees with Ralf Schumacher over Max Verstappen to Mercedes
In a recent episode of the MontoyAS podcast, former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya shed some light on a conversation he had with Ralf Schumacher over Mercedes’ rumoured pursuit of Verstappen.
Both pundits are now in agreement that the move is highly unlikely to happen, due to their shared opinion on the four-time world champion disrupting the relatively amicable relationship that Antonelli and Russell currently share.
Ralf Schumacher has had enough of Max Verstappen’s complaints… Have you?
“We were talking to Ralf just before qualifying – I think it was on Saturday, just before qualifying,” Montoya began. “So we were standing there chatting, looking at Kimi’s car and the two of them.
“I said to him, ‘Do you think Verstappen would come?’ He replied, ‘No, I don’t think he would, because if Toto has a driver like Antonelli right now, why on earth would he go for a driver who’s already successful? He’d be bringing in someone who’d ruin that.’
“It’s better to have that driver in a comfortable environment where he has a good relationship with George. They can both keep growing, and it’s a much more relaxed relationship. So he thought that wouldn’t happen, and I agree with him 100%.”
- READ MORE: George Russell clarifies Mercedes contract clause that is putting him at ease about Max Verstappen
A Max Verstappen – George Russell partnership is unlikely to happen
Due to the long-standing animosity that Verstappen and Russell share with each other, it is unlikely for the two frontrunning F1 drivers to ever share the same garage. Many have predicted fireworks to ensue, which isn’t a great look for team morale.
It has previously been reported that Verstappen would be reluctant to partner with Russell because of the tension between them, which has culminated in several clashes on track, as well as off it.
The British driver has already admitted that a confrontation would be ‘inevitable’ if they pit him against Verstappen in identical machinery, but Russell is also confident in his own abilities to be able to get the better of the current Red Bull driver over the course of a season.
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